Someone asked me why I decided to start a blog. The reason is pretty much to detail stuff that I don't have time to do elsewhere. For example, a new CD comes in and I know that it'll be a couple of months until it's reviewed in the next itm? (we don't have time to do reviews on Jockrock any more, sadly).
But the volume of CDs which arrive! I know why those guys called their website drownedinsound. Just back from the PO box and there's another 30 there, all requiring review (and as far as itm? is concerned, we will have to reassess our 'everything gets reviewed, as we'd need to print a 200-page magazine, or go weekly.) As an aside, some are not for me as such, but for the lucky winner of our '100 albums' draw. We have now gathered 35 or so of the target, and have credit notes at Avalanche and Monorail to eat into the rest of the prize fund.
Anyway, plenty of stuff may stand out and make me want to wax lyrical here, but since I hardly have the time to listen to all these CDs, it's when the disc box comes out of the package that the vital first impression is made. Names like David Jack, Four Tet and Electralane leap out because I know them already and am pretty confident they'll have produced somethnig worthwhile.
I also know and like British Sea Power, so their bribe of a free pencil was perhaps unnecessary. Payola!
Most impressive was a CD from Tantrum - again, a band I've heard before, but their Advice to Users album - actually a freely downloadable collection of mp3s at www.floppyrecords.co.uk - came in a muslin bag - hand-stitched, with a faux-leather label. I had to cut it open to get at the delightful mess of Cocteaus/Spacemen 3/MBV sounds within. Already Stewart Smith of fine award-winning zine Beard has also noticed Tantrum rise through the pile of CDs on his desk, so their ploy must be working.
However, the plan may be doomed to failure. Most journalists aren't allowed scissors...  ¶ 10:44 AM